Wednesday 9 July 2014 12.05 EDT
First published on Wednesday 9 July 2014 12.05 EDT

Hello to you, Cher Lloyd. What are your thoughts on journalists?That's a very tricky first question. These days I'm a very positive person. I don't like to label people either; it's not fair to say that all journalists are this or that. You're going to meet some people you don't necessarily click with but that's just part of life.

What did you do yesterday?Oh my God, these are difficult ones! I did a lot of promo … oh hang, no, I had a day off! I always feel guilty for having a day off because I feel like I'm not being productive.

What do you do if you're having a day off and you want to engage your brain?I write a lot. Or I knit.

Incredible. Could you knit me a scarf please?(1)I could definitely do that if you want.

I sort of expected you to have an American accent these days (2).Really? Come on. People assume I live there now but I was just renting out there for a couple of months. I was fortunate to get signed to a US record label and I think anyone in my position would take that. When I came off The X Factor I wasn't necessarily the biggest thing. I really wasn't. And to be honest it was totally fine, because I wasn't in the right headspace for it and I was a total bitch at the time. I am not prepared to sweep my past under the carpet and be like "Let's not talk about that" because I think it's really important to talk about it.

So is that story about you aggressively waggling a spoon at a woman true then? (3)(Laughs) Now that one cracked me up. I definitely wouldn't be using a spoon. The thing with me is that I'm very expressive and I was talking to one of the producers and I'd literally just stirred a cup of tea and she'd asked me a question and I just went "well" and held the spoon up. So apparently that meant I'd attacked a woman with a spoon. But looking back I can see why people thought I was a nightmare and I'm totally embarrassed. That's one of the hardest things for me to deal with because that's my past and you've sort of got to look at it as a huge learning experience. It's literally like taking your trousers down and doing a piss in front of the world.

Blimey. Do you think coming from The X Factor has been a help or a hindrance overall?For me it was a platform. A lot of people say it's a shortcut to short success, but I look at it that you only get back what you put into it. You can't just sit there and expect things to happen. I was so young when I went on the show and I've always wanted to do this but I didn't have a clue about it. I used to sit in my bedroom and think that all of my favourite pop stars go on stage, they sing and then they do other normal stuff. I didn't know what goes on or what you let yourself in for.

What was the biggest shock?It was learning that I couldn't 100% be myself. I felt like I was being pulled and tugged in different directions. The worst thing for me was that I had I felt wasn't good enough because there was so much "You should wear this" or "You should sound like this". It was a massive self-confidence thing. I was OK before – I was the sort of girl who didn't really care what people thought of me, so to be put in that position was quite hard. So then what I'd do is put this massive barrier around me. If we'd had this conversation back when I was 16 on the show [she turns 21 this month], I would have been on the defensive the moment I clapped eyes on you and I'd think you were there to ruin me.

One of your last big performances in the UK was at V Festival in 2012 which ended with you having bottles of urine thrown at you. You handled the situation pretty well, but didn't you just want to shout: "Oh, piss off"?No. Of course if you asked anyone: "How would you feel if that happened to you?" I think they'd have the same response as me (4), but then I think about how I stepped onto the Madison Square Garden stage later on and all of a sudden that goes out the window doesn't it? Things like that are a bit of a sore from the past, but I really think these things have built up my character.

On your song I Wish you talk about...Wanting some boobs and a bum? It's exactly how I feel right now. I may be married but that doesn't mean I can't wish for a bigger arse. I'm speaking on behalf of other ladies too, of course. That song was about being cool with insecurities.

I can clearly see you've got yourself some new teeth. Was that an insecurity you wanted to overcome?Yes it was. I found I was stopping myself from smiling, but why should I do that? I'm always smiling. I didn't do it for anyone else, I did it for me.

The cover of your new album [Sorry I'm Late] features you smoking a cigarette in the bath while holding a telephone. This seems like the worst time to try and make a phone call to be honest.Well it was something that just happened at the shoot I did. The telephone was just there on set.

There's something a bit disconcerting about talking to someone on the phone knowing they're naked. I wouldn't want to know they were in the bath.

It's like when you hear someone taking a phone call while sat on the loo.Oh no, I can't make a phone call when I'm on the loo or if I'm actually in the bath.

You recently recorded a song with Ne-Yo for an ice lolly company(5). But what's better: a Feast, a Twister or a Cornetto?Feast is my favourite. But then again a Twister, because I like to do the white bit first. If I had to put them in order, I'd go Twister, Feast and Cornetto.

• Sorry I'm Late by Cher Lloyd is released on 28 July on Syco

Footnotes

(1) She said she'd have it done by the winter, so that's ideal really. Back to article

(2) Cher spends a lot of time in America where her debut album peaked at number 9. Back to article